


Escaping the Haunted Maze

by Kateera



Series: All In a Summer [25]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Fluff, Halloween, Jimwald, M/M, Oswald Comforts Jim, gobblepot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-28 04:38:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12598320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateera/pseuds/Kateera
Summary: Oswald begs and pleads and finally convinces Jim to go with him through Gotham's new haunted maze exhibit. Now Jim needs to get through an hour of people jumping out at him without completely falling apart.





	Escaping the Haunted Maze

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thekeyholder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekeyholder/gifts).



> Okay, I know I said I was done, but I couldn't come this far without writing SOMETHING for Halloween. So here's one last glimpse into the fluffiness of teenage Oswald and Jim.  
> Please note, I didn't realize I was turning Gotham into my own version of Stars Hallow from Gilmore Girls, but it works and I'm running with it.
> 
> Thanks again to [thekeyholder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekeyholder) who's beta-ed every piece of this series and deserves major kudos.  
> All other mistakes are my own.
> 
> Check me out on [tumblr](http://kateera.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/kateera_) to say hi and ask questions and flail over Gobblepot.

“It’ll be fun and cheesy and I bet we can beat it in like, less than an hour.” Oswald held up the glossy brochure, the pictures of hay bales and scarecrows waving in front of Jim’s face as he scowled.

Lying in bed, listening to Oswald’s excitement as he talked about the new corn maze wasn’t Jim’s idea of pillow talk, and he sat against the headboard with a sigh.

“I don’t want to do some dumb maze,” Jim said, pushing away the brochure and pulling at Oswald’s shirt. “We could stay in and watch a movie and eat candy till we’re sick, I’d be down for that.”

Oswald frowned and sat back on his heels. “Why won’t you go? It won’t take long and I’ve never been.” He looked down at the mattress. “They always make you go in pairs and I’ve never had anyone to go with before.”

Jim felt a stab of guilt at Oswald’s confession and he cursed his brain for not picking up on the real reason Oswald wanted to go. Couple things had been a new treat for Oswald and he’d almost floated into space when Jim brought up going to the first Homecoming Dance together.

_ Of course he’s going to want to go to some hokey, pairs only, maze. _

Looking into Oswald’s bright hopeful eyes, Jim knew he couldn’t say no.

 

The maze looked simple enough and the walls weren’t high, but throughout the walls of hay were puzzles and traps to solve before you could escape and Oswald beamed as he read the simple map and instructions.

“Look, there’s even a graveyard built in, how cool is that?”

“Very cool. How long is this thing again?” Jim watched a group of four enter the maze and frowned at their playful pushing.

“Most people are out in about an hour,” Oswald said as they moved forward in the line.

Jim pulled his jacket tighter around his shoulders, the crisp air adding another layer of discomfort to the activity. He thought about trying to talk Oswald out of it, but each time he wanted to bring up the idea of seeing a movie or visiting the small harvest market instead, Oswald’s bright excitement made him bite his tongue.

“Next!”

They moved up and the man at the front handed them a cheap little flashlight and an air horn.

“Alright, the flashlight should last the whole hour and if you get too scared and need to get out, just blow the horn and someone will come guide you out.” The man pointed to the entrance, a tall arch of hay decorated with skeletons and cobwebs. “Off you go.”

Oswald grabbed Jim’s hand and pulled him through the arch.

 

The start of the maze wasn’t so difficult, they had to dodge past a row of scarecrows, one of which reached out to uselessly grab at their arms as they passed by, and they successfully avoided a pit of mud hidden under a layer of straw. Staying on guard was tiring and when they arrived at the graveyard, his head was pounding from the stress.

_ This is for Oswald, just keep it together. _

“So, we need to find the gravestone of a dead poet and then follow its directions to the next section.” Oswald turned and flashed a smile. “This is a piece of cake. I’m sorry if you’re bored.”

“I’m not bored,” Jim said, shuffling closer to Oswald and shining the flashlight over the various tombstones in the makeshift cemetery. “Which way do we go again?”

“You’re hopeless,” Oswald said, pushing up on his tiptoes to give Jim’s nose a kiss. “It’s to the left, I think.” He consulted his map again and Jim shook his head.

The eerie quiet of the graveyard seeped into Jim’s conscious and he couldn’t stop glancing behind him as he followed the zigzag pattern of Oswald’s movements. While Oswald stopped and stared at a headstone with a raven on the top of it, Jim aimed the flashlight towards the fake granite and chewed on his lip. A hand grabbed at his ankle with cold, slimy fingers and he screamed and kicked to try and get away. The hand let go instantly and disappeared back into the ground. Jim fell to the side, holding his hand over his mouth and trying not to cry.

“Jim! Jim, are you okay? What happened?”

He couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe, and his racing heart felt like it would jump out of his chest and roll down the hill.

“Jim, please, what’s wrong?” Oswald’s hands wrapped around his arm and Jim flinched at the feel of the cool fingers on his skin.

Oswald immediately pulled back and the thought of Oswald thinking that Jim didn’t want his touch finally broke through the panic and terror wrapped around his brain.

“Don’t, please, don’t go.” Jim’s body still shook and his voice trembled, but his words were clear and Oswald returned, placing a hand on the small of his back.

“What happened?” He asked again, his voice soft as he ran his hand down Jim’s faded t-shirt.

“Hand, from the ground.” Jim pointed to the disturbed dirt. “It grabbed me. I’m sorry. I’ll be okay in a minute.”

Wrapping his arms around Jim, Oswald sat in the dirt and held him close. “I know a panic attack when I see one, Jim. Did it just grab you?”

Jim took a deep breath and focused on Oswald’s beating heart. The rhythm soothed him and he timed his breath with the flutter of it against his ear.

“I hate horror things, like movies or haunted houses. It all freaks me out.” The words came in a rush and Jim tensed in anticipation of laughter, like when he told Brandon after days of trying to avoid seeing The Blair Witch Project.

Oswald stilled for a moment and then sighed, resting his head against Jim’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jim shrugged. “It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” Oswald said, anger flaring in his eyes. “You know I wouldn’t ever think that.”

“Everyone else does.” His answer came out sullen and Jim winced. “Sorry. I know, you’re not everyone else. He lifted his head and looked around the graveyard. Another group of escapees were headed towards the tombstone and he nudged Oswald. “We should go. We’re about to have company.”

Nodding in agreement, Oswald stood up and helped Jim to his feet. “I’m still upset with you for not telling me about this. Do you want me to use the air horn?”

“God, no.” Jim shuddered. “We’d never live it down at school if word got out. Could you imagine?”

Oswald giggled and grabbed his hand. “Stay close to me, okay? I don’t want you to have another attack.”

“I’m not going anywhere by myself.” Jim squeezed Oswald’s hand. “And I am sorry, for not saying something.”

“I get it,” Oswald said, leading them around gravestones and toward a gap in the bales of hay. “I’m sorry you didn’t think you could tell me.”

“I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”

“Oh my God, listen to us.” Oswald stopped and turned around, a smile on his face as he took Jim’s head in his hands. “I’m sorry, you’re sorry, and we’re both sorry.” Light kisses rained on Jim’s face between Oswald’s words. “Let’s find the stupid exit, go home, and watch Hocus Pocus, alright?”

Jim nodded and smiled back, the new plan settling his nerves while his skin buzzed with energy from Oswald’s attention. “Lead the way.”

 

The exit held the final challenge, a small gap between grasping zombie arms, but Oswald pushed Jim down until he was almost bent in half and pulled him along, batting the flailing arms out of the way.

Once they handed in their flashlight and air horn, Oswald threw his arms around Jim and squeezed tight. “You did it!”

“Thanks, let’s never do anything like that again.” He collapsed on a nearby bench and inhaled air that didn’t smell like moist dirt and moldy hay.

“Agreed.” Oswald stood next to him, surveying the field of vendors and their various treats. “I’m hungry. Are you hungry? I’m going to get us something to eat.”

Jim laughed and waved his hand. “Go for it. I’ll be here, not being torn apart by zombies.”

Giving Jim his familiar giggle, Oswald ran across the field and Jim laid his head back against the cool wood of his bench.

_ Well, that went as well as I should have expected. Why did I think that I could hide it? He must have known something was up. Should I tell him? _

_ Duh. No secrets, remember? _

“Thinking hard?”

Oswald’s voice and the smell of apples brought a smile to Jim’s face. He opened his eyes to see Oswald, smirk in place, holding a plate of fried dough covered in spiced apples in one hand and a bag of candy in the other.

“Hardly thinking,” Jim replied. “What is that?”

Oswald held the sweet smelling bread towards him. “Elephant ear, covered in apple pie filling. It’s amazing. Also, free candy at every booth.” He held up the bag and shook it. “If it’s all tootsie rolls, I’m going to be mad.”

Jim laughed and shook his head. “Sit down before you decide to ruin someone’s night.”

A wicked grin stretched across Oswald’s face, but he sat down and split the elephant ear mess with Jim. They ate in comfortable silence and watched the eclectic people of Gotham wander around the park.

“I was nine years old,” Jim said, breaking the silence once he’d finished his food. “My dad had recently passed and my mother was, well, she was even worse than she is now.”

Oswald moved in closer, but didn’t say anything.

“We were out shopping and I guess I must have wandered off, because I couldn’t find her. I searched the whole store and then ran out into the streets.” He grabbed Oswald’s hand as he spoke, using the contact to keep himself calm. “I knew I lived on the other side of the park and so I took off for home. It was dark and cold, like this, and I must have spooked a man sleeping in some bushes, because he jumped out and grabbed me.”

Gasping in horror, Oswald clutched tighter at Jim’s hand and pressed a kiss to his temple.

“I don’t know what he would have done if I hadn’t screamed. He dropped my arm and I took off again, finding my way home where mom hadn’t even realized I was missing. Ever since then, I can’t deal with things jumping out at me or grabbing me.”

“Well, yeah, that makes sense.” Oswald turned Jim’s head until he could look into his eyes. “Thank you for telling me.”

“It feels stupid to say it out loud,” Jim mumbled.

Oswald shook his head. “Like I said, not stupid. If I knew who it was that grabbed you, I’d, I’d break their fingers or something.”

Laughing and pulling him close, Jim kissed him, feeling the knot of dread around his heart dissolve in the wake of Oswald’s never ending acceptance.

Pulling back, Jim smiled at the look of dazed happiness on Oswald’s face. “I’m glad we don’t know who it was then. I don’t think I’d be good at breaking people out of prison.”

“You say that like I would get caught.” Oswald jumped up from the bench and walked to the nearest trash can, throwing away their plate. “Home? Movie?”

“Yes, please.” Jim wrapped his arm around Oswald’s shoulder, loving the way Oswald fit perfectly in his arms. “You’re amazing, you know that, right?”

“I’m starting to,” Oswald said, his eyes shining and his smile wide.

Jim adjusted the plan to include a heavy amount of kissing, but didn’t tell Oswald. Sometimes surprises were a good thing.

 

THE END


End file.
